Love doughnut holes? This is the post for you! Learn how to easily make many different flavours of donut holes, all in one place!
As a Canadian who previously lived abroad, I’m well acquainted with the powerful cravings for Tim Horton's "Timbits" that we all seem to get when living away.
It’s all about a taste of home, you know?
Anyway, it came as no shock when homemade donut holes ended up being a popular request from expats, when I was developing “More Than Poutine: Favourite Foods from My Home and Native Land”.
While your own fresh donut cravings may be more of the Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts variety, my recipe today should definitely satiate them!
Homemade donuts are a great way to indulge your craving for sweet treats. These cake donuts work up in mere minutes, and are HIGHLY customizable - more on that in a bit.
Gluten-Free Doughnut Holes
So you’re gluten free and craving this fried cakey deliciousness? Check out my Gluten-Free Doughnut Holes Recipe over on Beyond Flour, my gluten-free blog!
This recipe actually started out as the gluten-free version, and I had to later adapt it to a wheat version. Kind of backward, I know - but now we have everyone covered!
Donut Hole Ingredients
The basic vanilla base version of this recipe - in the recipe card at the end of this post - is made up of pretty basic ingredients, but even the many variation (further down in the post) use really simple ingredients.
A few notes:
Frying Oil
Canola oil and vegetable oil are the best options for frying your doughnut holes, as they’re neutral / light in flavour, and both have a high smoke point. Sunflower oil is another great choice.
Milk
I generally use 2% skim milk in this recipe, but you can use low-fat milk, whole milk, almond milk, or even coconut milk in this if you like.
Flour
I generally use all purpose flour for this, but if you don’t have all-purpose flour, cake flour works well!
Vegetable Oil
Melted butter works in place of the vegetable oil *in* the batter (not for frying!).
Granulated Sugar
This recipe defaults to plain white sugar, but feel free to swap out part of it for brown sugar.
Just make sure that the brown sugar is packed into whatever measure you’re using!
Other Ingredients Needed
* Lemon juice - fresh is best
* Large egg
* Vanilla extract
* Baking soda
* Salt
Equipment for Making Homemade Donut Holes
As this recipe whisks up in a bowl, you don’t need a stand mixer... but if you’re looking to fry these, you’ll want a deep fryer or a deep, heavy pot.
It’s the default cooking method for these, as I find it makes the best donut holes.
If you’re looking to NOT deep fry, you may need additional equipment, based on which cooking technique you want to use - a doughnut hole pan, mini muffin tins, an air fryer, etc.
If you’re not deep frying, see the section on other cooking methods for more details on additional equipment.
Aside from that, a wire rack comes in handy for some of the flavour / glazing variations.
How to Make Homemade Doughnut Holes
Heat oil to 375 F (190 C) You can use a deep fryer, or a heavy pan. If not using a deep fryer, use a deep, heavy pot, filled to at least 3" deep.
In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, lemon juice, egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla until well combined and smooth.
In a large bowl, combine remaining (dry) ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry, stirring with a whisk until well incorporated. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
Using two teaspoons, scoop out approximately 1" balls of dough - about a tablespoon batter -, carefully dropping them into the hot oil.
Alternatively, you can use a small cookie scoop - just aim for about 1 tablespoon of batter being used.*
Cook for about 3 minutes, flip doughnut holes onto their other sides, cook for another 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. Cut one open to test for doneness - you don’t want a wet, doughy center.
Cook a few donuts at a time, being careful to not over crowd your fryer / pot. Make sure the oil temperature comes back up to 375 between batches.
When doughnut holes are cooked, use a (metal!) slotted spoon to transfer them from the oil, to cookie sheets lined with paper towels.
Once all donuts are cooked, allow to cool for a few minutes.
If you’re looking to store your doughnuts for later, allow them to cool to room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container.
* Shaping the Doughnut Holes
Dropping the doughnut holes as described is the quickest, cleanest version - but the resulting doughnut holes will be irregular, and likely have a bumpy surface..
Using spoons yields doughnuts are relatively free-form, and the final shape will depend on how you get them into the hot oil.
To get nicely smooth, round doughnut holes - as pictured - carefully roll the blobs of dough between moistened hands before gently adding to the hot oil.
I like to keep a small bowl of water on hand for wetting my hands after every few balls.
The moisture helps prevent them from sticking, as you smooth the surface out by rolling.
Flavour Variations
These fluffy doughnut holes are great in the most basic form - Vanilla, unglazed doughnut holes - but the best part of homemade doughnut holes is the variety!
With just a few extra bowls and a small amount of effort, you can turn a basic batch of doughnut holes into a feast for the eyes AND stomach!
Note: full nutrition facts will vary wildly based on what you end up doing with them.
Doughnut Glazes and Coatings
Vanilla Doughnut Glaze
½ cup Water
½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
Pinch Salt
3+ cups Confectioners' sugar (icing / powdered sugar)
Transfer to a coffee mug or other narrow/tall vessel. Use a couple of forks to dip each (completely cooled!) donut hole – one at a time – turning to coat completely.
Allow excess glaze to drip off doughnut before placing on parchment paper to dry.
If you are making your glaze ahead of time, be sure to cover with plastic wrap when not in use!
Chocolate Doughnut Glaze
½ cup Water
½ teaspoon Vanilla
Pinch Salt
⅓ cup Cocoa powder
2+ cups Icing (powdered) sugar
Add powdered sugar, a cup or so at a time, whisking until thick (but still “dip-able”) and completely smooth.
Transfer to a coffee mug or other narrow/tall vessel. Use a couple of forks to dip each (completely cooled!) donut hole – one at a time – turning to coat completely.
Allow excess glaze to drip off doughnut before placing on parchment paper to dry.
Honey Dip Doughnut Holes
⅔ cup Liquid honey
¼ cup Water
In a medium saucepan, whisk together honey and water until honey is fully dissolved in water.
Bring to a boil, turn heat down, and simmer for 3 minutes.
Remove from heat, allow to cool completely before dipping cooled doughnut holes.
Sugar Coated
Roll hot doughnut holes in granulated sugar... or roll cooled doughnut holes in powdered sugar.
Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes
½ cup Granulated sugar
2 tablespoon Cinnamon (or to taste)
Mix sugar and cinnamon together, place in a shallow bowl or a large freezer bag,
After rolling hot doughnut holes on paper towels - but before allowing them to cool - roll in doughnut holes in cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Toasted Coconut Doughnut Holes
Place 1 cup or so of shredded coconut in a dry, nonstick pan.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the coconut is as toasted as you like.
Keep an eye on it, especially if you’re using sweetened coconut - the sugars can burn!
One at a time, whole a whole donut - fully cooled - in vanilla glaze. Allow excess glaze to drip off, before rolling it in the coconut.
Place coconut coated doughnut holes on parchment paper to dry.
Filled and Powdered
Fit a pastry bag with a fairly wide (¼"-½") metal piping tip.
Fill the bag with jam, pudding, or pie filling of choice.
Jab metal tip into the side of a fully cooled doughnut hole, squeeze a small amount of filling into the doughnut.
Roll in powdered sugar to finish.
Other Doughnut Hole Variations
Dutchies
Add ¾ cup (175 ml) raisins to batter, before frying.
Allow fried doughnuts to cool completely before dipping in vanilla doughnut glaze
Chocolate Glazed Doughnut Holes
Add ¼ cup (50 ml) cocoa in place of ¼ cup of the flour in the batter.
Allow fried doughnuts to cool completely before dipping in vanilla or chocolate doughnut glaze
These (Gluten Free) Chocolate Doughnut Holes were dropped by spoon - not hand rolled - and finished with vanilla glaze.
Apple Fritters
Add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) cinnamon and a pinch of cloves to the dry ingredients.
Peel and chop (about ¼" pieces for doughnut holes, ½" for larger fritters) 1 small apple, add to batter after wet and dry ingredients have been mixed together.
Chai Doughnut Holes
Add 2 tablespoon (30 ml) instant black tea, ½ teaspoon (2 ml) each of cinnamon and cardamom, and ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) each nutmeg, and ground cloves to the dry ingredients in the batter.
These are great as-is, or rolled in powdered sugar (after cooling).
Sometimes I’ll add a bit of each of the spices to the powdered sugar, before rolling.
These (Gluten Free) Chai Doughnut Holes were dropped by spoon - not hand rolled - and finished with confectioner's sugar.
Other Doughnut Cooking Options
While the default for this recipe is deep fat frying, there are a few different ways you can make these doughnut holes:
Baked Doughnuts
Not into the whole deep-fried thing? You can also bake these, as a healthier version!
There are two main ways to make these gluten-free doughnut holes without a deep fryer:
Doughnut Machines
As I'd mentioned on my Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Mini Doughnuts on Beyond Flour, I'd bought a Mini Doughnut Machine, and LOVE IT.
Well, that same company makes a Cake Pop Maker, if you're looking to make doughnut holes!
You can use the batter from this recipe - and any of the variations - in either machine.
I like to spoon the batter into a pastry bag to pipe it into the mini doughnut maker - it's just quicker, easier, and cleaner than trying to spoon it into the machine directly!
Note: This option needs nonstick oil spray
Doughnut Pan
While I haven't used them myself - I like the machine option! - I've heard great things about this Two Piece Silcone Mold. It's for baking "cake pops" - so, donut holes.
Nordic Ware has their own version, as well... though it's aluminum, not silicone.
Depending on the size of your pan, this option can also work in an air fryer.
Other Options
If you're not married to the idea of your doughnut holes actually being spheres, there are a couple other options:
I own a set of silicone baking molds for such things - this 24 piece set - though I haven’t gotten around to using it yet. It would make super cute doughnuts, IMHO.
Additionally, nonstick pans - such as the Wilton Mini Donut Pan, are hugely popular in food blogger circles when it comes to making mini doughnuts.
Much like with the machine, I'd recommend piping the batter in with a pastry bag, rather than spooning.
Feel really chaotic? Use a mini muffin pan!
More Canadian Comfort Food!
Whether you’re a Canadian in the US or not, we could all use some comfort food these days. Here are some Canadian Favourites!
Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe
Beep
Canadian Popcorn Seasoning Recipes
Clodhoppers
Confetti Bars
Dill Pickle Dip
French Canadian Pea Soup
Homemade Deep N Delicious Cake
Homemade Wunderbars
Maple Butter Tarts
Montreal Bagels
Persians Recipe
Puffed Wheat Squares
Replica Swiss Chalet Sauce
Tiger Tail Ice Cream
Looking for even more Canadian recipes? Check out our full Canadian Recipes list!
Share the Love!
Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you Instagram it, be sure to tag me - @CelebrationGenerationCA - or post it to My Facebook Page - so I can cheer you on!
Also, be sure to subscribe to my free monthly email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense.
Well, the published nonsense, anyway!
Homemade Doughnut Holes Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Milk
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 Large egg
- 2 teaspoon Vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups All-purpose flour
- ¾ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Heat oil to 375 F (190 C) You can use a deep fryer, or a heavy pan. If not using a deep fryer, use a deep, heavy pot, filled to at least 3" deep.
- Whisk together milk, lemon juice, egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla until well combined and smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining (dry) ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry, stirring with a whisk until well incorporated. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
- Using two teaspoons, scoop out approximately 1" balls of dough, carefully dropping them into the hot oil. (Do NOT splash yourself!).*
- Cook for about 3 minutes, flip doughnut holes onto their other sides, cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Cook a few donuts at a time, being careful to not over crowd your fryer / pot. When doughnut holes are cooked, use a (metal!) slotted spoon to transfer them from the oil, to a pan lined with paper towels.
- Once all donuts are cooked, allow to cool for a few minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
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